Arsenal Duo Rice and Russo Win FSA Player Of The Year Awards
Arsenal players scooped the top prizes at this year’s Football Supporters’ Association Awards as Declan Rice won Men’s Player of the Year while Alessia Russo was crowned Women’s Player of the Year.
The FSA Awards took place in central London on Monday [1st December] evening. With more than 400,000 votes cast, the FSA Awards is the biggest supporter-led awards show in the country.
Rice held off stiff competition from Erling Haaland (Manchester City) as well as Antoine Semenyo (AFC Bournemouth), Jean-Philippe Mateta (Crystal Palace), Moises Caicedo (Chelsea) and Ryan Gravenberch (Liverpool).
In the women’s category Russo ensured the Gunners did the double by holding off competition from Chelsea’s Erin Cuthbert and Millie Bright, Maya Le Tissier (Manchester United), Yui Hasegawa (Manchester City) and her own teammate Mariona Caldentey.
Declan Rice, said: “It’s a massive privilege to receive the FSA Player of the Year Award, seeing the players I’m up against. To be recognised by the supporters, to vote for me to win, it’s really, really special so I can’t thank them enough.
“The men’s team and the women’s team, we’ve been recognised in so many different ways and that’s where we want to be, winning things on and off the pitch.”
Alessia Russo, added: “Thank you to all the fans that voted, it means a lot. It was an incredible summer, an incredible few months, winning the Champions League and the Euros. Hopefully it’s inspired us to carry on winning because that’s what it’s all about!”
Rice is the first Arsenal player to win the award in the men’s category since Alexis Sanchez in 2015 while Russo joins a long list of Arsenal players to have scooped the women’s award, following in the footsteps of Beth Mead, Frida Maanum and Sari van Veenendaal.
Other winners at this year’s FSA Awards include Pundit of the Year Lucy Ward, who held off previous winners Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher, while Peter Drury won Commentator of the Year. The Independent’s Miguel Delaney took home Writer of the Year for the first time.
FSA chair Tom Greatrex, said: “On and off the pitch we are proud to celebrate the best that football has to offer. It’s no surprise that Declan and Alessia won the popular vote for the player awards – they are both unbelievable talents who have been brilliant for club and country.
“The FSA Awards also highlight work across the pyramid at supporters’ groups, clubs, and in the media that might otherwise go unnoticed. There is so much good work going on out there and it’s a fantastic achievement to win or even be shortlisted.”
All winners – The Football Supporters’ Association Awards 2025:
Men’s Player of the Year
Declan Rice (Arsenal)
Women’s Player of the Year
Alessia Russo (Arsenal)
Climate Action Awards
Sustaina-Bees and Brentford
Club Podcast of the Year
Pod on the Tyne (Newcastle United)
Commentator of the Year
Peter Drury
Fans for Diversity Award
Proud Baggies (West Bromwich Albion)
Fan Media of the Year
Arseblog (Arsenal)
Fanzine of the Year
Give ’Em Beans! (Barrow AFC)
Men’s Football Media of the Year Award
The Athletic
The Non-League Award
Non-League Day
Podcast of the Year
The Guardian Football Weekly
Social Media of the Year
The Adam Clery Football Channel
Supporter Engagement Award
Bristol City
Supporter Services Award
Chris Waters and Sunderland
TV/Radio Pundit of the Year
Lucy Ward
Women’s Football Media of the Year Award
The Guardian Women’s Football Weekly
Writer of the Year
Miguel Delaney (The Independent)
Image: FSA
